The common firecrest, or firecrest, (Regulus ignicapilla) has a crest which is bright yellow in the female and mainly orange in the male. Compared to the goldcrest, the firecrest has a black and white eye-stripe. This tiny, restless bird vies with the goldcrest for the title of the UK and Europe's smallest bird. It breeds in most of temperate Europe and northwestern Africa, and is partially migratory, with birds from central Europe wintering to the south and west of their breeding range. The Firecrest is possibly the species referred to in Greek legend and European folklore as the "king of the birds."
